4.25/5⭐️

Enjoyed this first in the Desperately Seeking Duke series from one of my favorite historical romance authors.

Max is a down-on-his-luck rogue who gets a second chance for redemption through a possible inheritance from a dukedom. Bianca is a headstrong young woman who works as a glazer at her father’s high-end pottery works. Max sees a business opportunity as well as a perfect wife in Bianca’s older sister Cathy. Bianca sees a gold-digging scoundrel and schemes to save her sister and their legacy.

I loved both leads as headstrong, hard-working characters who discover that first impressions are often misleading. Max is compellingly sweet as he falls for and woos the intelligent, creative Bianca, and she is surprised to find a man she can trust and count on in Max. Also a few sexy, steamy scenes as well. Nicely done, and I’ll look forward to the second book, A Scot to the Heart.

The e-book version also includes a short novella featuring a sweet HEA for his valet Kit and her lady’s maid Jennie.

Thanks to #NetGalley , #HarperCollins and #Avon for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

I was impressed by Max's character. He is very intelligent and a hard worker. The moment that Bianca figured it out I laughed. She surprised him in many ways also. About a Rogue, was a wonderful book.

ABOUT A ROGUE: Desperately Seeking Duke – Caroline Linden
Next Duke Up – Book 1
Avon
ISBN-10: 006291362X
ISBN-13: 978-0062913623
ASIN: B07YKX2KH5
June 30, 2020
Historical Romance

England, 1788

The unexpected death of Stephen St. James, vicar of St. Mary’s and youngest brother of His Grace the Duke of Carlyle, was devastating to his mother Sophia, the Duchess of Carlyle. Long ago an accident turned the mind of her son the duke into that of a child. He never married and will never have children. Who will take over one of the wealthiest dukedoms in England? Her solicitor, Mr. Edwards, tells her of three possible distant cousins who are eligible. One is a captain with His Majesty’s Scots Guards, one a gamester and known rogue, and the last a Frenchman, who might not even hold the Carlyle blood. The duchess thinks they are all undeserving.

Maximilian St. James is an adept gamester. To be called to Carlyle Castle by the current duchess is a surprise, but besides curiosity, one of Max’s best abilities is to take advantage of every opportunity. It was necessary just to survive. Once, when his mother had asked for help, this Carlyle family had sent her five pounds while she and her son were starving. He is a perceptive man and knows the duchess is both dismissive and disapproving of him. Still, she gives him 500 pounds and promises him a monthly income until the rightful heir is decided. This payment is for him to act like a proper gentleman. Max doubts he will become duke, but he already has plans.

Samuel Tate, the owner of a pottery works, agrees to let Max, a possible future duke, help develop marketing for the company, but Max must marry Samuel’s oldest daughter as he wants to keep the company in the family. None of them sense the younger daughter Bianca’s dismay at the idea. On the day of the wedding, she helps her older sister elope with the man she loves. Her father then demands Bianca marry Mr. St. James.

Max is skillful at playing deceptive games of manipulation. He has a talent for working through details to get what he wants, but will he be able to convince Bianca and solve the family dilemma facing him? Although he comes to love his wife, he doesn’t tell her the reasons behind his past roguish behaviors. Bianca has talents in developing ceramic products and their glazes. She won’t give up her portion of the company even to a husband. She is always forthright and argumentative with her father and now with Max. Can Max change her mind of how she perceives him? Can these two reach any type of accord? ABOUT A ROGUE is an entertaining story with an interesting premise and two characters, who are both determined to get their own way.

As a bonus, the book includes a short story about Max St. James’ newly hired valet.

Robin Lee

I really enjoyed the story of Bianca and Max! A true enemies to true love story. Watching Bianca change her attitude and opinion of Max as she gets to know him and the changes he made in his own mind were great. Loved the ending! Thank you for the advanced copy, it is truly worth the read!

Probably my second favorite Taming of the Shrew adaptation (the first is, of course, 10 Things I Hate About You). It hit all the beats that I liked while dodging the abuse, so well done that. I am a sucker for a marriage of convenience and the fact that it lead to mutual respect and admiration was icing on the cake.

Maximilian St James hasn't lived an exemplary life, so when he's given the chance to improve himself, he grabs it and makes his plans. Tate's pottery in Marslip makes some of the best known earthenware, Perusia. Samuel Tate also has two eligible daughters. Max's plan is to marry the eldest, but she elopes with the man she loves before the wedding. Samuel offers his other daughter, Bianca to Max and so they are married. A successful partnership in the business will bring trust, but Max is hiding a secret. An interesting start to the book sets the plot for the possibility of Max becoming a Duke with a twist or two at the end. Great start to the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I was given an Advanced Review Copy by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was extremely excited and feel privileged to be chosen, so I will write a bit more than usual.

I don't know how Caroline Linden does it, but she always evokes an emotional reaction in me. She also frequently has Heroes who must grow on me throughout the book.

Maximilian St. James was just such a hero. He arranged to marry Cathy, the beautiful eldest daughter of Samuel Tate, only to gain some control in the Perusia pottery works family business. Cathy was a very biddable daughter. She didn't speak up against the match to her father. However, she was in love with the local rector Mr. Mayne; and on impulse, she packed to run away in secret. Fortunately, her sister Bee caught her and helped her plan the escape more thoroughly.

Bianca Tate was quite the opposite of Cathy--less porcelain doll perfect beauty, more fiery temper, and not biddable at all. She never planned to marry and worked long hours in Perusia, her first love.

When the wedding day came and Mr. Tate found the bride missing, he confessed to the remaining daughter Bianca that he gave away 25% of Perusia. Since he would be in breach of contract, the only way to save the family business would be for Bianca to fill in and marry St. James. In anger, she agreed; and Max seemed to have no issue either. I felt Bianca's rage. I almost shook with tears of anger at her father. There may be readers who have an issue with the heroine. She was hard-headed and not malleable. She held on to her anger and did not give her husband a chance at first. However, I felt her stance so well, I thought it best she took a long time to come around.

Max was her perfect match. Although he was a rake and a rogue in his past, he did have many good character qualities. He was slow to anger and willing to be patient to win the long game: "like a steady flow of water over stone, his attention and suggestive words were wearing away her resistance."

Another consistent joy for me in Linden's writing is her movement. Her stories don't simply take place with the aristocracy in countless ballroom scenes. The characters have a greater purpose, and the action of the story takes place in varying location settings. In addition to some of the best character and relationship development, her stories have mystery that is unveiled seamlessly.

I was happy to receive answers to all my questions about Max's past and greatly look forward to finding out what happened to Captain St. James in Book 2. Also included was a lovely E-ONLY Novella between the valet Christopher Lawrence and the lady's maid Jenny Hickson. It was a sweet bonus.

All in all, this was a perfect romantic read I highly recommend to anyone, whether you have read the author before or not, even if you do not like heroines who take a long time before giving the hero a chance.

4.5/5 Stars

Expected Publication Date: June 30, 2020

Format Read: ebook

Dates Read: May 10-17, 2020 

A lovely start to a new series be Caroline Linden. I am a sucker for both enemies to lovers and marriage of convenience troupes, so when they are combined I know it's going to be good. Both Bianca and Max had depth, the side characters were well developed and I would happily read books about Max's friends.

I really really liked Max's character. He went above and beyond the stereotype of the reformed rake. He was a genuinely good person. His love for his aunt, his relationship with his friends, his genuine interest in making the earthenware factory better and more profitable. 

I do wish there had been a little more of time spent with Bianca and Max as they were growing to like each other. There was one day and then the start of the next chapter said that the next fortnight went much the same but I felt like that a bit much of the emotional journey of the characters was skimmed over or left for the reader's imagination.

I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series and will probably even revisit some of Caroline Linden's other books in the meantime.

The ebook came with a short story about Max's Valet and Bianca's Lady's Maid, which was a fun bonus.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, this is best Historical Romance I've read in a long time. It was just a lot of fun! And who doesn't love a good romance between a reformed rogue out to prove himself and an independent heroine who doesn't have time for love?! Of course, the couple starts off on the wrong foot but they slowly open up with each other and see the potential of making the best of things. I enjoyed the fast moving plot and the look into operating a family ceramics business as well as the overall character development. There are quite a few steamy moments as well but I wish they were a bit longer. Overall, it's a great start to a new HR series and I can't wait for the next book!

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I love Caroline Linden as a good story teller, which is why I like her books. Our new hero Maximilian St. James, heir to a dukedom, broke gambler, a rogue with the ladies, who must marry for the sake of possibly becoming the next Duke of Carlyle. He has a distant relative, a Captain in the Army, the first in line to the duchy. How this plays into this story must wait for another book obviously. Max has been laying plans for his own future that does not involve the duchy, he has plans to wed the oldest of two daughters belonging to Samuel Tate, of Tate Porcelain. Cathy is his intended, his way into a profession that will give him financial stability. However handsome he is, Cathy does not want him, she is in love with a curate in their village, and her feisty younger sister Bianca intends for Cathy to marry who she loves. This leads Bianca into marrying the dreaded Maximilian, now we have a version of The Taming of a Shrew! Maximilian is a good man, loyal, ambitious, kind, and patient, I liked him more than Bianca, who is spoiled! It took literally half the book before I could stand her! Eventually she comes around, just in time for the major incident in this book to reveal itself! Good read, thouraghly enjoyed! Loved the novella at the end!
I highly recommend! #AboutaRogue #Netgalley
carolintallahassee.com

* I received an ARC and am providing an honest review. #AboutaRogue #NetGalley

This is the first book in the Desperately Seeking Duke series. A rediscovered family connection and stipend give Maximillian St. James the opportunity he has needed to make a future for himself. Eager for a stake in the prosperous Tate ceramics business, Max swaps one bride for another and sets out to succeed in business…and pleasure.

I liked this story and these characters. At the beginning, Max was portrayed as a degenerate wastrel, but that wasn’t a fair characterization. He cares about family, and he had a strong business acumen and work ethic. Bianca Tate was strong, feisty, and capable. She made Max work for her respect and affection. The business worked as a great backdrop for their slow build relationship. This is a marriage of convenience well portrayed and given time to develop.

For me, one slight negative was the slow start. The prologue and first chapter are a set up for the series connection of looking for the closest distant heir to a dukedom. But, besides the beginning and end of the book, this storyline doesn’t really play into the overall story. Other than that, I found it to be highly enjoyable.

I was so excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint! I'm a huge fan of Caroline Linden, plus knowing the story centered around a family-owned pottery factory made my ears perk up, since I used to work at a Wedgwood collection archive. I was certainly predisposed to fall in love with this book, and while it wasn't a perfect book for me, it was pretty close.

First, I'll say that Ms. Linden packs in a lot of detail and research in this book and for the most part weaves it seamlessly into the love story. There's great detail about the pottery factory and village, Vauxhall, and a very detailed cricket match.

At the same time, I felt there was a lot of plot packed in that didn't really deliver for me. To begin, we have the business of Max St. James suddenly and unexpectedly becoming second in line for a dukedom, which starts our story and prompts him into a marriage of convenience. But there are so many plot threads going on after that, that I'd quite forgotten about the whole Duke business until the very end!

Beyond the main love story, there's family drama with Bianca's sister, some secrets Max is keeping that may or may not be sinister in nature and may or may not be dangerous to Bianca, Max's plan to expand the business, some gossipy London ladies that Max fears will ruin his character and hints about Max's rakush past coming back to haunt him, and a few elderly aunts with pertaining back stories. And more! There's just a lot going on, which I feel is partly due to setting the stage for later books in the series. But it's my main issue with the book. I would have liked less but more developed plot points.

Max is just a fantastic hero. I always feel Ms. Linden writes the best heros. Max is so very good to Bianca in spite of her terrible treatment if him in the beginning. It took me a long time to warm up to Bianca. From the very first time she's on the page, she is seething and angry, all the way until about 40% of the book. It seemed that she held onto that anger for unreasonably long as well. While I did end up liking her, I still felt I wanted the happy ending more for the sake of Max.

Overall this was a great read, and I'm very excited for future books in this series. (Plus the novella at the end was fantastic!)

An inconvenient marriage, a strong connection, a blurred line between passion and ambition.

Lord Maximilian St. John discovered he was in line to inherit a dukedom. His chances of really inheriting were slim, but he intended to use the allowance he was granted and the connection to establish himself in life.

That is how he ended up offering marriage to Catherine Tate, heiress of the famous and prosperous Tate Pottery.

Everything was working perfectly fine until he was forced to exchange the docile Catherine for her indomitable sister Bianca.

What was supposed to be a calm marriage of convenience turned into a crash of wills. A delicious enemies-to-lovers!

I felt an immediate connection with the characters, and I was emotionally invested in their HEA.

Maximilian is an adorable and vulnerable hero. He is ambitious and practical, but he is also loyal. Bianca is intelligent and full of spirit. Her love for her family and her dedication to the pottery were very inspiring.

Their bantering was fun, and they had great chemistry together.

As a bonus, there is a novella that retells the story from the perspective of the servants. Kit Laurence and Jennie (St. John's valet and Bianca's lady's maid) get their very own HEA.

About a Rogue is very entertaining and tenderly written. Highly recommended!

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 06/30/2020*

This was an interesting tale. Max is a rake but suddenly finds himself to be second in line to a dukedom. He pulls himself together and becomes friendly with the owner of an exclusive line of pottery. He has progressive ideas on how to grow and manage the business and becomes partner and potential son in law. Unfortunately, the daughter in question is in love with the local vicar. The sister, Bianca, helps her to elope and Bianca tales her sister’s place at the altar. Bianca is resentful of Max and determined to keep their marriage as one of convenience. But Max breaks down those barriers with his commitment to the company and love slowly develops. A good read!

I loved this book set in Georgian England in a small town dominated by the Tate Family Pottery Works. Bianca Tate is the youngest daughter of Samuel Tate and takes her work at the factory making glazes very seriously. Meanwhile, her older sister Cathy is all that is genteel in a lady as she helps her father with keeping his house and managing the servants. One night, Mr. Tate brings home Maximilian St. James, who says he is a distant relation of a Duke and is interested in the Tate business. Bianca is concerned that this dissolute London “gentleman”, with his velvet coats and lacy cuffs, is going to ruin their family business that he knows nothing about. She is further horrified when her father announces that he has offered Max her sister’s hand in marriage so that he can join the family business. Bianca knows that Cathy is in love with the mild curate of their village and he loves her so she assists Cathy with eloping with her love, thereby foiling St. James’ plans.

What follows is a hasty convenient marriage of two people that hate each other. Well, at least Bianca hates Max. He actually likes Bianca’s intelligence, knowledge of the business, creativity, and... her curves, too. Throughout the story, Bianca gets to know more about Max and realize she was judging him based on nothing; she really didn’t know him at all.

There are so many great scenes, as Max decides to play a long, patience-filled game to gain Bianca’s affections, as well as show her he does know about business and has some good ideas to grow the pottery works. I especially loved the cricket match, where Bianca’s competitiveness comes out. And, every time you think things will work out between the two, something comes up that threatens their future happiness. This was a very engaging read that I found hard to put down.


I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. That did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book has everything- a competent and intelligent heroine, a rogueish but lovable ( think Flynn Ryder) hero, an arranged marriage, a good old fashioned switcheroo, enemies to friends to lovers, a ~MASQUERADE~, tits out in a garden, a classic secret with public reveal , a wild misunderstanding, a helluva declaration of love and everything you ever wanted to know about pottery and then some. It's great and you'll like it.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of About a Rogue by Caroline Linden.

Max is such a great character. He was a rogue and doesn’t deny it. But there’s a great deal more to him that is revealed as he encounters different situations. Bianca marries Max to protect the family business and is antagonistic toward him but in the moments they share, her stance starts to soften. Caroline has a gift for showing the couple falling in love and not rushing the romance. She didn’t disappoint in this story.

The settings in the story were described in detail. I especially liked the town where Bianca’s family business is located and the sense of community that was shown through the various residents of the town.

I’m excited to see where Caroline will go next with this series.

This books is more heartwarming (and hot) than I expected. By the end off the story I completely forgot there was a Dukedom on the line and I was very involved in the village life. HR novels don't always build worlds well, but this one did and it unfolds in a smooth way. No info-dump here. I also liked the little flavor of Taming of the Shrew nod in the plot. This is an excellent book to take you away from the current troubles and lets you live in an adorable little factory town for awhile.

Maximilian St. James, notorious rake, is astounded when he learns that he could inherit a title. Not only that, but he'd receive a lot of money and properties too. The only catch is that he must marry someone respectable. That is where Cathy Tate comes into the equation.

Bianca Tate will do anything to stop her sister's unwanted marriage to Max, even help Cathy elope with her true love. Bianca never could have foreseen the jam that would put her in. Her father is outraged. Acting out of anger, Bianca agrees to step in and marry Max in Cathy's place. Imagine her shock when Max agrees. They have no idea what they've just gotten themselves into.

ABOUT A ROGUE is the captivating first novel in author Caroline Linden's new series Desperately Seeking Duke. It's no wonder she is a best-seller. Her scenes are written in such vivid detail. The characters are complex and relatable. The story itself is in a word, absorbing. I really enjoyed the banter between Bianca and Max. Their marriage is very unconventional, but they are just what the other needs. I give ABOUT A ROGUE 3.5 stars. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I could not put this book down. Caroline Linden creates characters and stories that readers of Historical Romance love. Bianca and Max are two great characters. Bianca only wants what is rightfully hers by birth and in trying to save her sister from marrying a Rogue who only wants the business, she ends up married to him herself. Max is nothing like the Rogue he has been known as. He brings ideas Bianca had never thought of and when they finally come together sparks fly. Historical Romance readers will love this book.